Ghostly Scars
by Gs. N. Sz
Summary: DP x TT cross. Even the strongest of heroes can fall, especially in a time of loss. When Danny woke up from his month-long trauma-induced coma, he finds his life transformed, in more ways than one. Thus he stands, a new life, a young man facing the world.
1. The Metamorphosis

_A/N: I'm making it so Maddie's sister doesn't appear. Sorry~ Also, this is based off of K.V.H.'s creation of **To Be a Hero.** I really liked it, but after talking to him, I understand what he wanted to do with it. He's really great, but he's working on several fictional pieces, mostly psychological thrillers. Can't wait till they're published! _

_Without further ado~ OH WAIT. I forgot, this features a darker Danny. Both physically and mentally scarred, he will change into something else, someone else. Who? We do not know. _

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**Disclaimer: I own not DP, nor of anything that is in FACT copyrighted here. **

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**Ghostly Scars**

**By: Gs. N. Sz.**

**Chapter 1: The Metamorphosis **

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_When trouble often falls, we as humans feel the darkness upon us. But when the time comes, and when the chains latch, do not fret, do not fret. Light is above, darkness below, but go neither side. Walk forward, walk forth, and never look back._

_~Gs. N. Sz._

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In a stark white room, in a disinfected bed lay one Danny Fenton. There he lay, his body as still as a corpse while his mind was unknown. The young 14 year old had been in this position for 29 days, and today would be the 30th. Diagnosed with no hope of waking up, his coma was both physically and mentally induced. With the time that had passed, his mind would then be lost. Yet if there was the possibility that he awakes, he will find no happiness. For on the 13th of February, one week before his 15th birthday, he lost his family, his friends, and the one teacher who actually cared about him (whether he knew it, or not).

Today would be that day.

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All was black, all was nothingness, and everything was gone. A single orb of light rested inside this darkness, losing its bright shine with each passing moment. There it floated, never to be disturbed, allowed to disappear into the nothingness in peace. Such a soul once bright, once glistening in the light. Now it trembled in the cold, losing its once bright sheen, now only to dissipate in the engulfing black.

That was supposed to be the case.

But it was not.

_**Wake up Danny.**_

_. . . . . . ._

A dull shade of green began to fill the darkness, the darkness that the orb of light had become used to. It beckoned the light to react, and yet the light was stubborn, floating calmly, as if on the currents of the sea.

_**Danny Fenton, it's time to wake up.**_

_. . . Who?_

_**DANNY PHANTOM!**_

The once dull green flashed neon, and in an instant the orb of light exploded.

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He was surrounded in white, engulfed in white, and it burned his eyes. As light-sensitive eyes squinted and tears began to form, the fogginess of his mind disallowed him clear thoughts. But as his eyes finally began to recognize things in the room, he could finally sense the exhaustion of his body. His body felt like lead, his mind a set haze, and everything was way too bright for his sensitive eyes.

He looked around. A bleach white room, beeping machines, and a small television that was too glitchy to be considered new. . . was he in . . . a hospital?

"W-where?" he began, before feeling himself cough as unused vocal cords began to work again. His voice sounded rough . . . and changed. He almost gasped, if it wasn't for the shock.

_'Did I go through puberty?!' _

And just like a jinx he heard glass shatter, a trembling voice barely noticable. "H . . . he's awake!" Danny almost jumped, except his body was not moving as smoothly as he thought. But he turned and saw a wide eyed nurse, her hands over the lower half of her face while her face was as pale as . . . mind the pun, a ghost.

"Uh . . . hello . . ." Danny said softly, waving at her weakly.

She stared at him.

"D-D-D-D-D-D-DOCTOR!!" she screamed out as she burst through the door, leaving Danny alone.

Danny went back to staring at his surroundings, and that's when a touch of color caught his eye. Then he was mistaken, a giant mess of colors stuck out of the whiteness surrounding him.

Flowers, tons and tons of flowers were in the corner of his room. He could spot some of them wilting, while others looked freshly picked. Red, yellow, violet, and other assortments melded together to become the colorful corner it now was. So he was sick? Or was he . . . he stopped that train of thought as he saw the signs that were stuck in the flower bouquets.

_My Dearest Sympathies_

_With Sincere Sympathy_

_Sympathy from all of us_

_With Heartfelt Condolences _

A sudden sense of dread dropped into his stomach, and a sickly green light flooded his vision. Like a curse, an almost forgotten memory replayed in his mind.

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_He smiled through timely exhaustion as he secured the Fenton Thermos, feeling the vibrations cease. Dan was no longer in power, and he was now stuck in the thermos. He could feel a sense of security come over him as it was finally over. _

_It was not._

_The Nasty Burger's Secret Sauce Containers began to hiss, and the contents soon bubbled. Inside the chemical contents of the vat were reacting to the constant exposure of heat, and the dial's arrow pointed towards the skull. It would only be a matter of seconds until it exploded. _

_Danny gasped, realizing that the danger had not end. He sprinted, panting hard as his exhaustion began to cause his legs to wobble. But he could not stop, he had to get to his friends and family, he had to, he had to!_

_He closed his eyes, trying to grab for his powers. He felt the rings appear, but they shorted out. He gasped out loud as he said, "I can't go ghost . . ."_

_He kept running towards them, but a piece of debris caused him to trip. Eyes of bright blue widened, and he screamed, "NO!!"_

_The vats exploded, and he knew nothing but pain and soon comforting darkness. _

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Danny continued staring at the bouquets. They were meant to cheer him up . . . right? Then why did he feel so . . . so . . . so angry? His body began to shake. The flowers mocked him, whoever gave him the flowers knew nothing, did they? Did they think that mere flowers could make things better? Did they believe that flowers were the solution to what had happened?

But that anger disappeared, only to reappear with friends. Emotions of all kinds began to erupt, spilling over.

"Da-ny?"

Sadness, anger, confusion, dread, all these emotions and feelings were filling him to the brim. He could feel his very body shake, and he could feel his mind slipping. Danny did not want to respond to that mechanical voice of the doctor. He just wanted to . . . disappear.

"Danny?"

He could not deny it; he knew that the doctor was going to tell him that his family was dead. And then he would be told that his friends were dead. Then he would have to go to Vlad Masters' and become his . . . he didn't even want to think of it. Thin arms wrapped themselves around him, and he felt no comfort from his own self embrace. How embarrassing he probably would have thought, if not for the fact that it wasn't embarrassing to him, at least, not anymore.

He ignored whoever was calling his name and grabbed for something. He needed something, anything, a sharp object. He didn't deserve to live! He failed! What made his life a life was gone! MOM! DAD! MADDIE! SAM! TUCK! MR. LANCER! THEY WERE GONE! ALL GONE!

Their eyes stared back at him from the darkness, accusing him, angrily glaring at the one who failed to save their lives.

And it was all his fault!

His eyes flared as wide as a beast, and just when he was going to grab something, he was engulfed in a warming embrace. He blinked as the nurse who had ran out of the room held him in a hug, a motherly hug.

"It's alright dear . . . it's alright . . ."

He sagged into the embrace.

"I would usually say don't cry, but deary . . . please, cry."

He felt tears run down his cheeks. Before long, he could feel himself break down in the comfort of a mere stranger. But somehow, he did not care. He wept needed tears and screamed out his distraught, allowing the once empty room to explode with wretched life. He cried out for forgiveness, he cried out in anger, he cursed, he screamed, and he hollered out his soul.

And the woman twitched not once, not moving as she returned her sympathies with her most endearing action. It was the closest to motherly love he would ever receive in this lifetime.

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Much time had passed, and many things had happened. But now Danny was left to be discharged.

After going through what any patient had to, Danny was given the freedom to clean up, change, and see fit to his own needs by stepping out the hospital. But for now he stood there, in front of a mirror which had a good layer of condensation from his shower. He stared at himself, at the reflection that was now him. He knew something was strange, something . . . different.

They had told him that he had been out for a month . . . a month. Something should have gone wrong with him, or he shouldn't have been this healthy. He was more than healthy, he was extremely fit. The results they received from his physical showed that he wasn't that out of shape boy. He filled out in places he was once scarcely lacking, and he even noticed his cheekbones now more protruded. It was almost haunting.

He knew his stuff, well, at least stuff from the internet. And no one should be this healthy, both physically and mentally after a whole month of comatose. Yet here he stood, staring at his reflection. He stared not only to look at himself, but to think.

He could see them, the scars. Countless scars were all over his body. The explosion had flying debris, the fiery balls of metal that had done a number of things to his skin. He traced one of the scars; it looked like a wretched tree, a gnarled tree from the way the skin healed on his chest. Another was like an exploding star on his right shoulder, while his left was a set of intertwined vines. And his face, on the left side of his face was a scar created by a long cut. It was probably sliced by a thick set of debris, causing that cresent moon-like shape to curve to the edge of his jaw.

"Sam did say that she liked scars . . . too bad she can't see me now, heh heh . . . heeeh." A twinge of sadness struck his heart, and he continued getting himself ready without a word, or a thought.

He slipped into one of his T-shirts. They actually had the decency to bring the stuff to him. Soon he wore a clean pair of boxers, jumped into his pants, and fitted his 'ole reliable' sneakers, and it made him feel human again. He sighed with some content, but exhaled as he felt his eyes glaze over. His family was gone, his two best friends were gone, and his life . . . what would become of his life?

"Mom . . . Dad . . . Jazz . . . Tucker . . . Sam . . . and I can't believe I'm saying this, Mr. Lancer . . ." Danny felt his shoulders sag, and he left the shower room.

Well, if it had something to do with Vlad, he'd definitely high-tail it.

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"Mr. Fenton?"

Danny turned to the call, and he spotted a tall thin man with a pair of expensive looking spectacles. The unnamed individual motioned Danny to come to him, and he did.

"Uh . . . me?"

"Yes Mr. Fenton. My name is Frederick Bourglass, and I am here to inform you of some . . . financial issues. It concerns your family's wishes . . ." Mr. Bourglass adjusted his rimless spectacles as a sleek Tigaur glided to a stop before them.

Danny's eyes widened at the expensive looking car, and he didn't complain as he was led in. As they drove off the hospital property and onto the nearby highway, Danny had to ask, "What are you talking about?"

Bourglass crossed his legs and intertwined lightly manicured fingers, while adjusting his expensive glasses. Upon closer inspection, Danny spotted the fancy threads he wore. So why was this guy here, a lawyer maybe?

"I am here, with the last testaments of your parents' will."

"Their . . . their will?"

He nodded his head, bringing out a disc. "This disc holds a recording of your parents last words, in other words, if anything was to happen. It was meant for you and your older sister . . . but my deepest condolences. I was alerted of your recent condition after a message had been sent to me by an old friend. But that is not important, I wished for you to listen to what they had to say."

Danny who was silent, could only nod his head. He wanted to know . . . or to at least see the remnants of his mother and father.

Mr. Bourglass nodded his head, before slipping the disc into a reader. A screen appeared in front of Danny and the businessman/lawyer, coming to life with digital snow. But soon enough, the picture 'turned' on, and Danny's eyes lit up as it played, hands clenched tightly on richly patterned leather.

"_**Hello? Is this thing on? Maddie, is it even working?" **_There sat Jack Fenton, tapping what was probably the camera lenses. Danny only stared, that was definitely his Dad. He was never the best with this sort of stuff, and he smiled lightly as his heart began to ache.

"_**Yes hun, the light's red, see! That means it's recording, so stop that!" **_And so appeared his mom, Maddie Fenton. She lowered Jack's invading arm down and made him sit properly in front of camera, and she sat next to him.

It was funny seeing the difference between them in stature. While his dad was large and solid, his mom was petite in comparison. But then again, his dad came from a long line of tall people, and he secretly hoped that he'd be able to grow to that height. But as he watched the two of them settle in, he was on the edge of his seat, secretly happy to seeing their faces again, even if it wasn't real. That they were . . .

He didn't want to think about it.

"_**Now your mother and I have thought very hard about this. Most of our experiments are dangerous, and we do a lot of ghost-hunting, so . . ."**_ Dad was twiddling his thumbs, nervous, extremely not like Dad. He always saw his dad as someone who was confident, maybe a bit over the top, but really confident and full of himself. Who else would put their face on toilet paper?

His mom put a gloved hand on his father's arm, her warm smile calming her husband down. Amethyst eyes looked into the camera, a tinge of sadness detected in them.

"_**Your father is saying that if anything happens, we wanted this Will to be passed onto you. Now I know that your father and I use a lot of money on our inventions, but we aren't completely selfish. We're your parents, and we're thoughtful of our children."**_

At that, Dad spoke up, his index finger pointing up. He know showed the confident (and foolish) side of him he knew well. _**"We've been saving a good portion of our earnings away, put them under bonds since before either of you were born. Either of you can claim these bonds, we've made a special agreement with the banks. So you don't have to worry about money. And stuff. Yeah." **_

"_**Oh come on Jack. Well kids, we just want you to know that we love you. If you're watching this, I guess something happened. But don't be sad, don't cry, because even if we're gone, we'll always be there, in your hearts." **_

"_**Sniff . . . sniff . . . oh god, this is so hard Maddie. Why are we making this? Nothing's going to ha—"**_

"_**Because we want our kids to not worry if anything happens honey. Now," **_his mother turned back to the camera, _**"The documents are in the attic, in the secret panel in the weapons vault, so even if something **__**did**__** happen that involved an ectoplasmic explosion, it would not be destroyed. **_

"_**But**__** Jasmine, Danny, take care of yourselves. And know that we love you very, very much. We're proud to be your parents, and we will continue to be proud of you as we watch from above. So please, be good siblings, take care of yourselves. And remember, though we may be gone, always look forward, and towards your destiny. Remember us, but never look back. Please."**_

"_**So . . . bye . . . love you kids!" **_

"_**Jack!"**_

"_**What? This is so awkwar—"**_

The recording ended, and Danny felt something drop in his stomach, something heavy, and something painful. He didn't even realize the tears that flowed down his cheeks, for he was too shocked at even the fact that there was a will for him. For Jazz.

Oh god, Jazz.

He clutched his head in scarred hands, while the tears dripped onto the carpet of the car. He noticed not the hand of sympathy that Mr. Bourglass had on his shoulder, nor the sad light that reflected off of the man's glasses. He only burned the memory of that Will in his mind.

He needed to.

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"There is one more thing for you Mr. Fenton."

Danny looked up, having wiped the tears from his eyes just not too long ago. Blue eyes gazed upon another disc. This one was newer, and had a symbol on it that made him almost glare.

It was the symbol of Vlad Masters.

"Vlad?" he said unwillingly beneath his quivering breath.

Mr. Bourglass nodded. "Yes . . . I am a good friend of his, and am here on his behalf. Allow me."

Mr. Bourglass safely put away the DVD from before, giving it to Danny for safekeeping, while he put in the specially customized one in. The reader ate it, and began to process the information engraved in the data.

The screen revealed a half-decent Vlad. Danny was almost shocked. His silvery hair was barely tied back, and 5 o' clock shadow was visibly noticeable on the man's face. The man's once deep green eyes were now dulled, while dark folds were under his eyes. He was like the shadow of his self, and Danny saw traces of the Vlad Masters he had seen in the future that . . . could be.

The man was not in his usual black business suit. Instead, he was in a buttoned up collared shirt, while the tie was loosened. He spotted the tawny-colored liquid in the glass the man had on the side: brandy.

"_**Hello Daniel, no, Danny. You obviously know who I am, and I have reason for this, so please do not turn this message off." **_

"I'm tempted," Danny said in ill-nature, crossing his arms, hiding his once broken self quite well.

"_**Frederick knows of **__**my**__** secret, and is my devil's advocate. He knows about **__**your**__** secret as well, so hide nothing from him. He is . . . was my most trusted advisor. Whether it be finances or even the 'targets' for my company, I could trust him the most."**_

Danny's eyes widened upon hearing the past tense.

"_**You're probably sharp, and always have been Daniel. I . . . am no longer present in this world. Ever since the death of your family, dear Maddy, and your state, there was no reason for me to remain. Nothing made sense, and nothing mattered. My company was failing because of my incompetence, and due to that, I have had Frederick remain in charge of my empire, or at least until my stated heir appeared."**_

"_**That's right Danny, you are that heir. You will inherit all of Masters' Industries, my legacy, and my wealth. Do not worry, I will not force my 'you must become my son' down your throat, for I see that you are Jack's son, and always will be."**_

"_**But I see you as my son, or at least, someone whom I thought of as a son. So upon the turn of your 18**__**th**__** birthday, you will become the official heir of Masters Industries. I hope that Frederick will be by your side when that happens, he will be a trustworthy guide, and friend. Just as he was years ago."**_

"_**But I should end this, my time draws near, I can . . . feel it. Take care Danny Fenton, and farewell, Danny Phantom. If you happen to see my ghost in the Ghost Zone, please stop by for a chat. I am sure that I will competent there." **_

Static flooded Danny's ears as the screen was distorted by digital snow, before turning into that blue screen. As Frederick pulled out the disc, Danny had his head in his hands while a look of pure disbelief was on his face. "I can't believe it, Plasmius, no, I can't believe Vlad did that."

"I wasn't as surprised as you when . . . that happened Mr. Fenton." Frederick began, coughing into his hand. "You see, though he had everything in the world, money, power, fame, he did not have the one thing your father always had: family. Nothing in the world could replace a loving wife, growing children, and the thought of a genetic legacy, and Vlad always wanted that."

"He could have found another woman, but he only saw Mrs. Fenton, and he could have adopted a child or even, a pet." Danny snickered slightly, almost remembering that time. But he stopped, realizing that Vlad was now dead and bowed his head. Frederick continued. "But you also had what he had: his powers. Like him you were different, and he felt that since both you and he had ghost powers, you two shared a kinship that could have almost been paternal. Despite how you two never saw eye to eye, he still pictured you as the son he could have had."

"Really?" Danny seemed to ask, for curiosity's sake.

"Always."

Danny turned towards the window, shaking his head. Vlad was to him, sad. He had everything, and had nothing. It was hard to figure out, but easy to understand. "Can we go . . . can I go home first?"

"Of course Mr. Fenton."

"Frederick?"

"Yes Mr. Fenton?"

"Call me Danny."

"Alright Danny."

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He twisted the doorknob and entered the house that he once called home. It was the same as he left it, except for the layer of dust that was in every nook and cranny, and on every flat surface. His mom (and sister) probably would have freaked at the sight if they had seen it.

A single object caught his attention, and bright blue eyes stared downward as he approached. A hand rested on the family portrait. It showed him with his family, with a half-assed smile. But, it was a happy smile.

Oh how he wanted to be him again. But now here he was . . . here, in the now. Not in the past, but in the present, and all ties now lost.

There was now no one to bind him here. No one to talk to, no one to laugh with, and no one to return to in this empty space. Although they probably passed on, he knew for a fact that he himself would see them. They would appear, memories brought to life, and . . . and . . .

_'Do I want to be here?'_ thought Danny, his mind so distraught.

He left that thought for later as he ascended the stairs. He needed to find the documents first.

It was his parents' dying wish.

–

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Frederick Bourglass is a competent man. Trusted advisor to the late Vlad Masters, and current overseer of the late man's empire, he was not one easily corrupted by wealth, fame, and fortune. He had what any man wanted, a loving wife, three children (their ages evenly spread out), a safe and secure home, and all the good stocks to keep them afloat for the rest of their lives. And so he was the trusted guard dog to the Masters' fortune, holding the key that was meant for Vlad's heir: Danny Fenton.

He was also a very tidy man, and in a matter of moments, he was dusting, mopping, and tidying up the house. No longer was that layer of dust there, and no longer was the refrigerator full of mutant hot dogs and moldy tofu. He was just putting the finishing touches by spraying a disinfectant on everything, before personally polishing the wooden frame of the Fenton family portrait. A small (and rare) smile graced his lips as he looked at his work, and he unrolled his sleeves back downward. There was no need for young Danny to know of his completed task. Donning his jacket, he looked as he once was, Mr. Frederick Bourglass, a man of grace, a man of punctuality, and a man who knew how to make things look good.

However, he was an impatient man. He usually hid it well, but when Danny had been upstairs for more than an hour, he could only wait for so long. Why else would he have put up with cleaning the _whole_ of the Fenton household? That included the basement, aka the Fenton's laboratory. That was a lot.

"Danny?" he called out. His sharp eyes look upward, and he made his way up. What was taking the young man . . . so . . . long?!

The young man in question was in fact on the floor, knocked out cold.

"Danny!" In a snap Mr. Bourglass was on the ground, pulling the young man up. Gray eyes widened at how light he was, but pushed the thought aside as he shook Danny's shoulders, attempting to awaken him. "Danny, are you alright?"

Danny stirred, shaking his head. His mind felt muddled, but it began to clear as he spotted a familiar set of glasses. "Mr. Bourglass?"

"Ah good, you're awake. What happened?"

"I . . ." Danny pulled up a clenched hand, in it was a giant folder waiting to burst. "I found what Dad and Mom left me. But . . . I can't explain, here."

Mr. Bourglass found the folder in his outstretched hands, and he opened it. Immediately he scanned the document with fast eyes, the words imprinted in memory. Eyes widened as well as he felt for the second time in his lifetime, shock.

"Danny . . . your father was . . ."

"I can't believe it either, I mean, what the heck?"

"And your mother . . ."

"Yeah."

". . . if I am correct, and I usually am," Mr. Bourglass retorted with the shift of his glasses, "in three years, you will be the richest _man_ in the 21st century."

". . . I know this is a stupid way to say it, but . . . WOW."

"Wow indeed Mr. Fen—Danny. Wow indeed."

–

–

Time had passed, and the sky was painted with streaks of red, orange, violet, and surreal colors that were befitting of a clear sky sunset. The town of Amity basked in the ethereal glow, and the shadows of the building danced with the sun's rays. A dance that lasted till the sun would set, and the town would sleep beneath the starry sky.

It was beautiful, beautiful to Danny, whose hands were unclenched, and eyes were watering. Discomfort was in his chest, but he accepted it with gratefulness. It made him human, it made him alive, and it made him feel that melancholy.

On the hill he stood upon, were the graves of his family. After having visited the graves of his friends, he wanted to stay here for some time. But he knew he couldn't dwindle longer.

He had to move on.

"Hey Mom, Dad, Jazz, it's been awhile hasn't it?" Danny waved awkwardly, looking at the gravestones. He had already adorned each, knowing what they each loved. He rubbed his hands together, chaffed skin burning. "I can't stay for long, in fact, I don't know if I'm ever coming back."

"You see . . . you all are gone, Plasmius is gone, Sam and Tuck are gone . . . and . . . I don't think there's anything here that'll keep me going. I really don't think I can go on, especially home. I can't . . . I can't stay there. It's frustrating, maddening, it'll drive me insane! Or . . . worse."

"But I want to thank you, I want to be able to see you all as you were. I want us to be a family. I want to . . . I . . . I wish I had saved you all. It's my fault you all died. My future self had done it, and, and . . ."

Danny fought back tears as his voice cracked, before shaking his head and exhaling. "I will visit, every year, the same day, same time. I already promised Sam and Tuck, and that'll be the only thing to bring me back here. Is that alright with you?"

"I just want you to know that I love you. Mom, Dad, Jazz . . . I won't ever forget you. After all," Danny felt a bittersweet smile on his face, "we Fentons have to stick together. We only got each other . . ."

"Are you sure this is alright Danny?"

Danny only nodded his head, fresh tears flowing from his closed eyes.

"I have shut down the Fenton Portal, and have placed all Fenton related items in a security vault in the city. It is protected by a ghost shield, powered by several generators in case an outage. As for the assets, they are all being transferred to several different accounts, invested in 'steady' stock portfolios, and your bonds have been secured. The wills are now placed on different copies in case of infringement and/or loss. The former Fentons' residence has been secured and closed, and will be cleaned up occasionally. When we have secured your new home, I will help you with your 'new life.'"

Mr. Bourglass placed a steady hand on Danny's shoulder, and squeezed it. "As I promised Mr. Masters, I will remain by your side. If you ever need anything after I leave, please, do not be afraid to call."

Danny rubbed the tears from his eyes, the water from his cheeks, making himself presentable. His blue eyes glanced upward at the thin man, and he nodded once more.

"Bye Mom. Bye Dad. Bye Jazz. Don't worry, I'll be back. I promise."

As Mr. Bourglass led Danny towards the car, Danny softly muttered, "thank Mr. Bourglass."

At that, Mr. Bourglass smirked, and said, "Danny, you may call me Frederick."

And at that, Danny smiled softly, ". . .sure thing Frederick."

"And Danny—"

"Yeah?"

"Happy birthday."

–  
–

And so ended the life of Danny Fenton. At the age of 14, he lost his friends, family, and the life he had prior to their deaths. His body was changed by the 'Tragedy of Nasty Burger,' his mind was forever morphed by memories of that horrendous night, and his soul shall forever feel responsible for it all. Had it not been for that slip, if it had not been for his future self, they would have remained alive, happy, in a life that he knew was more than perfect.

And on his 15th birthday, he took his leave from Amity, his eyes staring forward at the road they would take. With Frederick by his side, he would soon take the path of an Heir to three fortunes, all of which would make him the richest man ever alive on his 18th. Of course, he need not think of it, for his future was ahead, their destination further down.

Their destination?

Jump City.

–

–

**End of Chapter 1: The Metamorphosis**

–

–

_A/N: I hope ya'll enjoyed it. I got the first part down, introduced the great Frederick, a Devil's Advocate that is now in Danny's service, and hopefully a semi-believable beginning. I know, Danny's angsty, but hey, you can't blame him right? He lost his family, he best friends, and now feels lost in the world. He can only be led by the advice of Frederick, and hopefully turn out in a way that'll be suitable for this story. Let's hope, pray, and CROSS THOSE FINGERS._

_So thank ya for reading!_

_Gs. N. Sz._


	2. The Devil's Fruit

_A/N: Well, I'm glad some of ya have taken a liking to my story. I know, dark undertones, but hey, that's how I like 'em! But now you all have to try to be nice, and tolerate the changes~_

_Now lemme get some things straight. Here we go: _

_UPDATES: Are not concrete. I might update here and there, and suddenly have this GINORMOUS gap. You all will be WHERE'S MAI UPDATE, and I'll be NOT YET DAMMIT! Seriously, remember, I got a life, and I'm writing fiction on the side. _

_FICTION: Is on a fictionpress account, with the same screenname. If you're interested, just look it up. _

_IDEAS: I'm listening. If you got suggestions, tell me, if there are problems, tell me, but if it's a flame, then DON'T BOTHER. GOT IT?_

_SCRIPT FOR TEEN TITANS ANIMATED: Seriously, does anyone have any web sites that have ALL the Teen Titans animated scripts? I'd like to have specific ones, just so I can be accurate with the character interaction. Or I'll have to watch ALL the episodes . . . D:_

_OH YEAH. I AM FIXATED ON THE MOVIE 9. IT COMES OUT SEPTEMBER 9, 2009, or 9-09-09. GEEZUS CRACKERS, BECAUSE I AM AMAZED BY IT. C8 I like Tim Burton, and the guy who's directing it . . . oh god, if you can find it, watch his animated short. It's real neat!_

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**Disclaimer: I own not DP, TT, but I do own the characters that I add in here. **

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**Ghostly Scars**

**By: Gs. N. Sz.**

**Chapter 2. The Devil's Fruit.**

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The life of a young man is a frivolous one, where everything around him moves in a swift blur. Everything happens too quickly, and everyone is caught in the whirlwind. But there are those who anchor themselves in the midst of chaos, allowing them a forceful, but assuring reprise. And as both the past and his current life has told him, he needed to have patience, and to not burn out like many of the others.

And so here he was, a strange observer of this new environment that he has _still_ not gotten used to.

He felt out of place, and pulled at his stark-white collar, loosening the tie, and adjusting the suit's cuffs. His sleek black pants were dustless, whilst his suit jacket made him look sharp. But alas, it did not suit him. He much preferred jeans, a regular T-shirt, and his pair of reliable Chuck Taylor rip-offs.

In fact, he was wearing those rip-offs right now.

Danny Fenton, age 16, sat in the classroom, staring forward into nothingness. Jet black hair was messily disoriented in the playful breeze, the open window allowing fresh air in. Ice blue eyes looked forward, staring at the board that was crammed to the edges with the teacher's notes, while his right hand scribbled chicken scratches in a rapid fashion. His left hand supported his head from falling, unconsciously hiding the scar that curved along his cheekbone.

He could feel himself losing attention, nodding his head off, almost barely catching himself from slamming his nose straight into the desk. It was a boring day, a boring lecture, and school . . . it was challenging, but all the more boring. But it wasn't the classes that made it boring, it was—

And then Danny was shaken out of attention as something disgusting smacked into his cheek, and he cringed in disgust. Saliva made paper mache was stuck on his cheek, and he snapped towards his attacker's direction. A familiar face, a tuft of brown hair, and mischievous tawny eyes smiled at him. A group of teens were crowded together, pointing at him, mocking him, causing him to feel different.

_'Damn kids.'_ he thought as he let out a sigh, and with a sideway glance (while flicking off the spitball onto the floor), he allowed his index finger to glow ominously. However, it was hidden, but he knew what to do, for he did it every so often to teach them a lesson. One little zap towards that chair, and the sickening crack was music to his ears. The prankster yelped as he fell on his bottom, hitting his head hard on the desk. Was it concussion inducing? No, for Danny knew that Bobby had no brain, being the captain of the football team. But he did relish at the sight of his teammates carrying him out as quick as a whistle, their teacher continuing with his lecture.

Immediately he felt everyone's attention on him, but he smiled, waved, and went back to writing. However, he clicked his tongue, and smirked as he softly whispered, "Feh, idiots."

No one messed with 'Bad Luck Danny,' especially if they wanted the school's poltergeist to get them. There were rumors, some had said, that Danny had a ghost that was a friend. But Danny knew perfectly what was the matter, for he was the cause of this foolish patter. But as the bell rang, Danny stood up, shifted his bag, and went out the door.

"Another school day gone," Danny said with a smile, "at least it wasn't boring as always! I'm outta here!"

He quickly went to his locker, took what he needed, and sprinted towards the bathroom. Before long he changed, dumped his 'uniform' into the locker, and went towards the front door. He was usually the first out, but not this time.

"Oy! Danny!"

Danny realized he was running too fast, and took a quick jump, and braked with a skid. He found himself standing in front of a familiar face, and a rather good friend. But this friend was not a school friend.

The guy was the janitor.

Standing a good head tall and with a lankier stature, he stood out from the rest of the normal 'height' students. Not even 20 he was working several jobs, and it showed. Dark circles were laced beneath his dark green eyes, while his sleek blond hair was messily tied back, hidden beneath his janitor's cap. The uniform he wore resembled a hazmat suit, a bright striking orange. But he was young, he was strong, and he had a hell of a lot of confidence and smarts.

Danny had first met Andre at the beginning of sophomore year. He at the time was a loner, and tended to not eat at the cafeteria. He came across the janitor scrubbing the wall, ridding them of the graffiti an expelled student had decided to mess with. When they made eye contact, Andre did something Danny had not expected. He threw a scrub brush at the halfa, and told him to clean, and Danny . . . didn't exactly say no.

From then on he'd come around whenever he had time, assisting Andre whenever he could. The school was big, and Andre, was not big enough, but he did a hell of a lot of things for it. And for that, Danny felt obliged to be his friend, which soon became a friendship that he cherished. He liked Andre, was always a good ear to speak to.

"Hey Andre," Danny piped up as he walked on over to the guy. Andre was mopping the speckless floor once again for the second time today. The man had to work for his pay. "You need help with anything?"

Andre shook his head, a good-natured smile on his lips. "Naw, I got this. It's the weekend, take a break, don't be like those adults, taking life too seriously."

Danny nodded, knowing that Andre would ask if he needed the help. "Sure thing, you too, don't be taking life so seriously!" Waving a quick goodbye, he just beat the first crowd, and sprinted out of there. Like a blade of grass caught in the wind, he sped out of there, no one able to recognize the blur.

Danny barely jumped over an exposed manhole, revealing just how tall he was. Now at the average 'male' height, he no longer had to worry about looking over people's shoulders. Weaving around the passerbys, he revealed how thin he was. But when he tripped, and barely caught himself, he exposed taunt muscles that flexed as he pushed himself upward, and back to where he was. Running once more, leg muscles ripped beneath comfy jeans, using the balls of his feet to remain nice and light.

He was not Danny of Amity, nor Danny who tended to trip over every single thing. Or so he thought, and so he hid well. A year had passed, and he had changed immensely, both due to isolation and teenager thought. And he no longer worried about the ghosts appearing, for without the Fenton Portal, they could not. Or so Frederick told him, but he did believe the man, his trusty guardian.

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"I'll say this once and I'll say it again," Frederick spoke in between quiet intakes of air, "you leave yourself open when you come in to attack. Don't allow me a chance when I finally STRIKE!"

Danny jumped back as the older man attacked, his staff barely striking Danny's longest bangs. He arched his back as he allowed momentum to perform a couple of back somersaults, ending with a no-hand cartwheel, landing on the ground in a crouch. His blue eyes glared at the man before him, the man's gray eyes as cold as steel. Daily training the man said, more like a boot camp! Yet, he knew it was for his own good, and he only nodded his head as he launched himself at the man.

A twist here, a swung arm there, and Frederick began to take his steps back. Danny attacked with outstretched hands, pulling his arms back to guard open areas when he releases an attack. Bruises had formed beneath his work out clothes, but he ignored them as greater pain branched from the hit on his shoulder. He gasped as he went down onto his knees, a hand now cradling the now injured body part. Before he could retort, he felt a quick breeze, and found the man's hand a hair width away from the bridge of his nose.

He gulped, and laughed nervously.

"So I don't block when I strike?"

Frederick nodded, his eyes still cold. Danny felt himself cringe. How was he to fight against a man who could deal with any attack?! But as he thought of the audacity of the situation, the halfa spotted a rare smile from the man's face, and a confident voice spoke back to him. "And that is why I always win."

Frederick approached and pulled Danny up, and they now stood face to face.

"You have grown."

"I did, didn't I?"

Frederick rolled his eyes. "Still the same young man I met long ago," he went to collect the gym bag that rested on the side. He brought out a kit that caused Danny to cringe. But the halfa knew what the man was doing as he brought out a sanitized needle. "now let's see if your ectoplasmic count has changed."

Danny nervously pulled his arm out, and pulled back the sleeve. A dab of alcohol, and the slow insertion caused the halfa to take a deep (and necessary breath). He hated needles, and watched with a strange fascination as red liquid pooled into the large syringe. But as quickly as the tool was filled to the brim with warm thick blood, Frederick pulled it out with a 'pop,' slapping a cotton swab and bandage on top of it. "There we go, I will update you on your condition in a week."

"Sure thing Freddy."

At that a twitch, and gray eyes glared. "I prefer to be called Frederick _Daniel._"

And at that Danny cringed. "Fine, fine, Frederick. You old timer."

Frederick allowed a chuckle, smiling warmly now. "I will see you again soon. Do make sure to take care of yourself Danny, and keep your grades high."

Danny watched as his guardian left the training room, and Danny sighed as he shouldered his own bag, and walked out in the other direction. Despite the man's concern, he still felt distant, and it made him realize just how alone he really was. But as he stepped out onto the streets of Jump City, he immersed himself into the flowing crowd, allowing himself to be swept away in its social current.

He smiled.

_'At least here, I'm never alone, am I?'_

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Time passed by quickly for Danny Fenton. He had shopped (for food), cooked (his meal), and had finished his homework. And it was still pretty early into the night, only a little after ten. He was not sleepy, his bright blue eyes looked upward towards the sky.

The one thing he always relished in was the view above, where the stars glittered brightly in contrast to night. The sky was cloudless, the moon was bright, and Danny felt something burning in him. He smiled a bit as he stood up from his chair, and walked towards the window. A hand placed itself on the cooling glass, and he exhaled. But his breath was not warm, not this time. It was cold, as ice, something that he now became used to, and enjoyed. It was a new power, a strange power. Bringing his hands together, he let them part, and watched as mixed oxygen and hydrogen formed an ice crystal, shimmering brightly in the moonlight.

The power to wield ice, to be one with winter, to enjoy the cold without having to succumb to it. It was almost as if his 'dead' side was one with the cold, and it probably was.

He opened the window and cold air rushed in, causing goosebumps to prickle upon his skin. But he took a deep intake of air and exhaled, allowing the cool air to fill his lungs. He shut his eyes tightly, and allowed the change to begin.

Rings of pure white appeared at his center, rising and falling in opposite directions. His casual clothes changed, and the colors of blue and red gone, reappearing as black and white. T-shirt, jeans, and shoes were replaced by a loose black hazmat suit that hung perfectly from his now broader shoulders, a snug white belt hanging from his hips. His pants were a perfect fit and resembled the looseness of his jeans, while perfectly white boots peeked from the pants cuff. His gloves of white covered once bare hands, the glove cuffs loosely hanging from his wrists. The collar of his hazmat suit was perfectly hiding his Adam's Apple, barely hiding the roots of his scars from his chest. However, there was something different from the suit.

There was another layer of material beneath it. It was like under-armor. The material covered his arms, legs, chest, torso, and more than his neck. Almost like a ninja's face mask, it covered a good part of his face. The entire outfit covered the scars that would have been easily exposed by his glowing aura. But it also emphasized his eyes, those frightening eyes.

He opened his eyes to reveal a glowing set of green. They were alarming, a shattering neon, the type of color that was remarkably florescent. But despite that shine there was a darkness in them, a loss of innocence. Anyone could tell, but no one could tell why, or what. It was a mystery that only he knew of, an answer no one could ever see.

However, there was a playful spark in his eyes. Bending his knees, he allowed his body to turn invisible, and phased right through the building. He was outside. Floating in the air, unseen by human eyes, his smile widened further as his legs jolted, and he propelled forward.

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The night would begin as he floated to towards the neighbor apartment. Upon descending onto the apartment's rooftop, he allowed the energy in his body to go to his feet. A low green energy collected at the soles of his boots, and he smiled as he felt the cool energy buffer his feet from the ground. A simple push, and he glided on the rooftop. As he reached towards the edge he bent his knees, and he jumped towards the next building. Another, and another, and he went towards another, until he reaches the tallest building in Jump City. Like a tiger he coiled, and pounced outward, landing on the vertical side.

He'd skate over stone, windows, and metal, and he'd finally find himself at the very top. He panted but smirked, crossing his arms as he released the energy beneath his feet to land on solid ground. With pride he would look down at the city's bright lights, flashing in the darkness, brighting the night. He could feel energy ebb off the bulbs of light, and he enjoyed watching the livelihood of the city.

But that was not the end.

Danny's eyes were drawn upward, towards the twinkling stars, and he shot straight up into the clear night sky.

It was something else, something that felt almost instinctive. For there was never a time where he hated flying. It was amazing, an escape from the earth far below. The cold ate at his body, and he inhaled the sharp air through his nostrils, exhaling loudly. And soon enough, he felt himself laughing, carefree, bliss. And his eyes shined, they truly shined like the far off stars. But as he flew, he 'felt' something approach, causing his smile to fade away. He slowed his path of flight, and looked around.

Only to find himself face to face with an airplane.

"HOLY—" But Danny could do nothing as he was propelled down to the earth, his arms and legs flailing like a rag doll's. The pain disallowed him a clear head as he tumbled in the air, and his eyes could not see where he was going. But he knew that if he didn't work fast, his landing would hurt, and _bad._

He barely looked downward and gasped. He was on a one-way trip in crashing into Titans Tower! That meant becoming a splatter of something not right, and they'd have to scrape him off of with a giant spatula. And then, and then . . . he did _not_ want to think about it. But one thing was for sure, he had to get his act together, and FAST!

He squinted his eyes shut and he concentrated hard. He had to turn invisible, phase through, and make it out alive!

In an instant he felt his body change to both modes, and he opened his eyes as he felt himself phase through one, two, three floors. He concentrated more, kept at it. He didn't want to reappear _right_ in the middle of the tower.

But then he felt himself flicker into view, and he gasped as he lost his concentration. He felt himself phase into something, but he did not know what. He did not even think of it as he made himself invisible and intangible once more, and he kept falling downward. Second after second, after cruelly growing second he kept his eyes shut, he kept his brow furrowed, and said not a word.

And then he felt himself fall into the numbing waters of Jump City Bay.

He gasped for air as he swam up, feeling his body go into a state of shock as he floated upward. He gagged and coughed as he rose out of the water, droplets falling into the body of water below. Shaking his head, he turned intangible, allowing the water from his body to fall away, leaving him dry as he turned invisible.

"That was close," he said to himself, glancing at Titans Tower, "and it's probably late, I better go."

He floated back towards his apartment, not even noticing the fluttering cloak that was attached to his back.

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Phasing through cool glass and landing on lush carpet, Danny transformed back to his normal attire. He went straight to the bathroom, intending to take a nice hot shower after that rather eventful night. It always calmed his nerves. Closing the door, he switched on the light—

Only to find a skull to appear in the mirror.

"AH!!" Danny screamed in surprise as he stepped backwards, slipping on the bathroom carpet. He fell to the ground, and groaned as he felt a bump form at the back of his head. He grumbled as he got back up, and looked into the mirror once more. "What the?"

Slowly he brought his hands to his face, only to find dark gray gloves. They were like gauntlets, heavy but firm, and parts of it was laced with metal. A flick of the finger made him realize how amazingly protective they would be against any blade. But he continued to examine his self, or what was covering him besides his clothes.

The outfit was fitting, well formed, and it suited him. Jet black and made of both a warm and reinforced material, he moved his arms and legs. He could move freely as he did the most foolish of things, but came back to standing still. And the cape on it was ragged, and seriously looked nice. And there was a utility belt, a _utility belt._ And not just any utility belt, a superhero utility belt!

On the chest area of the suit was a red X, and on the mask was that same infamous insignia.

"This is . . . this is Red X's suit!" Danny said with great emphasis, clenching his gloved hands. But at the same time, he realized how sore his body felt, and cringed. He was still sore from the training session, and having gotten drenched in ice cold water, and . . . bumping his noggin.

"Sometimes I wonder how I get into these things," Danny sighed out as he phased his clothes off. Stepping into the shower, and stood in the hot water, allowing the steam to cloud his vision, thoughts, and mind.

"Ah . . . nothing beats a good shower!" Danny exclaimed as he cleaned the apartment up, making everything all neat and tidy. As he felt sleepiness approach he looked at the clock. 1:41AM it read, blinking in neon green. Exhaustion was catching up to him, but his tired eyes laid upon the Red X suit on the bed. Before he knew it he was pacing back and forth, treading a pathway in his rich red carpet, blue eyes locked on that suit.

It was the outfit of an infamous thief, one who defeated the Titans not once, but twice. That person fought with the ferocity of a beast, but so calculated that he defeated even Robin the Boy Wonder. But something must have happened, because that suit was in the Titan Tower. But when did it . . .

It hit him. When he had fallen straight through the tower, he had unphased his self for only a second. A mere second and he probably collided with the suit, phasing it with him, and onto him. And then he phased through the building, invisible as always, not sensed or seen by anyone or anything. With that suit.

"Does that mean that it's mine?"

For a moment, Danny almost looked happy at the thought, until he smacked his head with his hand. "Stupid, of course not! This is the Titans' stuff!"

He continued pacing, talking to himself, looking both weird and disturbed. "Maybe I should return it? Yeah, I could do that . . ." from an expression of joy to one of dark humor, he groaned, "YEAH RIGHT. I can imagine it. I'll walk in, shove the suit into their hands, and just TRY to tell them that I 'found' the thing. They'll look for fingerprints! DNA! Anything that'll track me down!"

Danny sat down on the guest room chair, drumming his fingers on the desk. His eyes glared at the suit. Now he realized just how crapped up the situation was.

Yet . . .

"Maybe I'm getting in over my head. Sure, that suit was 'borrowed' by me, but they probably don't know it yet." Danny stood up and took a hold of the suit, feeling the fabric. "Maybe, just maybe, I can go ahead and put it back in a day or two. They'll never notice a thing. Nothing suspicious about it. Yeah, nothing to —yawn—"

"Oh man, I gotta hit the sack." And with that he shut the light off in the guest room, and fell into his own. He released a loud exhale as he fell onto the cooling comforter, and with a final exhale, he slipped into slumber.

He'd worry about it tomorrow.

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**End of Chapter 2: The Devil's Fruit.**

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_A/N: Well, howdja like that? :3 Tell me what you think, I sort of like this twist to the story. Even K.V.H. was all hyped up by it (from what I could tell when we were discussing it in the cafe). I got a good portion of the plot down, so there's already a preset storyline coinciding with the Teen Titans' timeline. So wait for a bit for the next update now~_

_Gs. N. Sz._


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